The New Railway Series: The Musical
The New Railway Series: The Musical '''is the sequel to ''The Twilight Express and prequel to Thomas The Tank Engine: Starlight Express. Characters *Thomas (1) *Dusty (2) *Bernie (3) *Bluebell (3) *Petrie (4) *Rodriguez (5) *Mutt (6) *Newt (6) *Aerolite (7) *Settebello (8) *Jock (9) and Jaguar (10) *Flarango (11) *Nintendo *Duchess *Trusty *Mordecai *Guido *Skips *Claude *Boomer *Pico *Click and Clack *Griz *Kevin *Nigel *Jasper Plot The show is set in 1987, on the United States of America Railroad, the second transcontinental railroad", and seventeen books are used to create the plot. '''Act I: ''The Three Railroad Engines The big engines are teasing Bernie that he won't be allowed out because he is too weak, but when the driver sees him upset he offers to take him out ("One Day"). Bernie goes to get some coaches, and, after a few moments of panic waiting for the guard, they start off and Bernie has an enjoyable day. Petrie is bragging about pulling the Express ("Express Job"), but when Thomas is shunting Petrie comes past with a long train of coal trucks. Petrie deliberately stalls at a hill and Thomas comes as a "banker". At the top of the hill, Petrie races ahead and Thomas gets puffed out, but is pleased at the prospect of a new coat of paint ("Thomas the Tank Engine"). One rainy day, Bluebell stops in a tunnel and refuses to move ("Rain and Water"). His crew, the passengers, another engine and even the Thin Director try to get him to move, but to no avail. Eventually, they have him bricked up, and they bore a new tunnel ("Bricks, Smash and Buckets!"). Petrie is pulling the Express when he bursts his water valve outside Bluebell's tunnel ("Achievers"). Thomas tries to pull the train, but can't. The Thin Director lets Bluebell out of the tunnel so he and Thomas pull the train. They later help Petrie home, and Bluebell is rewarded with a new blue coat ("New Blue"). 'Act II: ''Mutt the Switcher Engine and Rodriguez the Black Engine Mutt the station pilot surprises Petrie, and Petrie, furious, wonders how to pay Mutt out ("Pay Out"). Next day, Mutt is late and forgets to get uncoupled after shunting Petrie's coaches. Petrie takes Mutt on a wild high-speed journey across the United States. Mutt later resolves to never tease Petrie again. Bluebell is ill and Mutt is the only one available to take his train. Mutt, impatient, leaves too early and only stops when a signalman points out he is missing his coaches ("Journey to the Past"). Mutt goes back and is able to take the train that time, but is teased by the others for a long time afterwards. Mutt wants to see the world, but no one takes notice until Thomas offers to give him his trucks ("Out There"). Mutt is excited but careless, and the trucks push him down Petrie's Hill. Mutt manages to stop in time, and the Thin Controller tells him to start shunting trucks at Chugwater. Mutt is shunting when some trucks push Rodriguez into a field ("Down on the Farm"). Mutt comes to his rescue with the Breakdown Train, and is rewarded with two coaches and his own branch line. Rodriguez is to take a passenger train with Thomas. At the platform, he accidently showers water over the Thin Controller's new top-hat, and Rodriguez, afraid of the consequences, starts off ("On the Open Road"). He then proceeds to almost forget to drop off his passengers, and to top everything off he disturbs an old lady with his hiccups after hearing about the time Thomas had to help Petrie up the hill. That night, Rodriguez is scared of what the Thin Controller will say. Rodriguez is grumpy after being threatened by gray paint and having to fetch his own coaches ("Cuban Pete"). It takes the biscuit when no one comes near him at the platform, and Rodriguez is so determined to pay everyone out that he doesn't take care with his coaches and causes a leak in the brake-pipe. The crew determines that they need newspaper and leather bootlaces to fix it until they get home, and after a great amount of persuasion a man named Jeremy "Big Griz" Jobling hands his bootlaces over and the train gets home ("Race Against Time"). Rodriguez is shut up for several days, but when the Thin Controller comes to see him James apologizes and is let out to take a goods train. The trucks play tricks on Rodriguez and break away on Petrie's Hill, but Rodriguez tries again and, with some support from Thomas, gets the train home. The Thin Controller is pleased, and allows Rodriguez to keep his black paint. '''Act III: ''Troublesome Engines ''and ''Bluebell the Green Engine'' Bluebell is called out to clear a blockage in his tunnel, but when he goes in, an elephant pushes him back out! The workmen give the elephant some water, but Bluebell surprises it by letting off steam and it sprays water all over him.